Arizona Attorney General (AG) Kris Mayes has issued a warning to residents about the rise in fake package scams.
Specifically, scammers are sending fake texts and emails to phone numbers about a supposed package a victim ordered online, such as saying it is on its way or there is an issue, with a fake link attached that looks like it belongs to a legitimate carrier. However, clicking it allows the scammer to access personal information, upload malware, or commit financial fraud.
Such scams rely on creating a sense of urgency in the victim to act before they realize they are being defrauded, but they can be countered by refusing to open the link, verifying supposed tracking numbers through the official carrier (never through the link provided), and calling official carriers about missed deliveries through their number, not the one on a tag.
"Scammers are counting on the fact that many Arizonans have packages coming and going constantly," AG Mayes said a press release. "By creating just enough urgency, they get people to click before they think. If you get an unexpected text or email about a package, slow down and don't react — it's almost certainly a scam."
Earlier in March, Mayes filed criminal charges against the prediction market website Kalshi, accusing it of operating an illegal gambling operation in the Grand Canyon State. Kalshi has hosted wagers on Arizona elections, including the 2028 Presidential election and the 2026 midterms for Governor, the Republican primary, and the Secretary of State race, which are illegal under Arizona law.
In Congress, Representative David Schweikert (R-AZ) led a recent Joint Economic Committee (JEC) hearing about combating scams, questioning, "How do we build a model, a technology, a policy, so the money never leaves the individual's account?" He noted that despite representing a well-educated and wealthy part of Arizona, many residents are still scammed regularly.
